Russell Athletic Bowlhttp://www.russellathleticbowl.com
RSS feeds for Russell Athletic Bowl60http://www.russellathleticbowl.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=151&PortalID=0&TabID=96ACC Championship Game is the Champs Sports Bowl Game of the Weekhttp://www.russellathleticbowl.com/news/tabid/96/ID/151/ACC-Championship-Game-is-the-Champs-Sports-Bowl-Game-of-the-Week.aspx
This season, pick who you think will win the Champs Sports Bowl Game of the Week and WIN! Answer the question on the&nbsp;Capital One Bowl Facebook page&nbsp;before Saturday's game. If you pick correctly, you'll be entered into a drawing to win two tickets to the Capital One Bowl on January 2, 2012!
Virginia Tech leads series, 50-37-5 (Last meeting: Nov. 27, 2010: Virginia Tech 37, Virginia 7)
The two strongest teams in the ACC meet for a second time this season at the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte.&nbsp; The rematch between #20 Clemson (9-3, 6-2 ACC) and #5 Virginia Tech (11-1, 7-1 ACC) has higher stakes as the conference&rsquo;s automatic BCS bid to the Discover Orange Bowl.
The Tigers locked up the Atlantic Division a few weeks ago but have staggered into Charlotte after losing three of their last four. Once considered a national title contender, Clemson turned in its lowest point totals of the season in road losses to Georgia Tech (17 points), NC &nbsp;State (13 points) and rival South Carolina (13 points). Sophomore quarterback Tajh Boyd struggled during that stretch, throwing four touchdowns and seven interceptions in his last four games (after a 24:3 ratio in his first eight). Despite the late slump, Boyd leads the top passing attack in the conference and should benefit from the return of breakout freshman Sammy Watkins. If the Tigers want to win their first ACC championship since 1991, they&rsquo;ll need a total team effort akin to the one they turned in against the Hokies on Oct. 1.
The ACC Championship Game is old hat for Virginia Tech, who will represent the Coastal Division for the fifth time in seven years. The Hokies have won three ACC titles since the conference moved to 12 teams in 2005, more than the entire Atlantic Division combined (two). This season, VT had to replace ACC Player of the Year (and current NFL Baltimore Ravens backup) Tyrod Taylor, but has found leadership behind the steady hand of sophomore Logan Thomas. Though his stats aren&rsquo;t as flashy as his counterpart at Clemson, Thomas&rsquo; efficient play has kept defenses honest and opened holes for junior running back David Wilson. Wilson is the best rusher in the conference by far, leading in both carries (21.3 per game) and yards (132.9 per game). Wilson carried 20 times for 123 yards against Clemson in the regular season, but was held out of the end zone along with the rest of his teammates. The Hokies have scored 30 points or more five times in their last seven games and turned in their first shutout of the year last weekend against rival Virginia.&nbsp;
Extra Point:
*Virginia Tech is the only team in the country to have won at least 10 games in each of the past eight seasons.&nbsp;
EXPERT PICKS
Michel Champagne&nbsp;currently serves as Chairman of Florida Citrus Sports, where his duties include leading Team Selection Committee. He is the Vice President of Operations and General Manager, Orlando Region for Bright House Networks.
Pick: Virginia Tech
Season Record: 15-7
Greg Warmoth&nbsp;spent 11 years as the weekend sports anchor for WFTV Channel 9 in Orlando before switching to the news desk in 1997. He currently anchors Eyewitness News Daybreak, Eyewitness News This Morning on TV-27 and Eyewitness News at Noon.
Pick: Virginia Tech
Season Record: 14-8
Marc Daniels&nbsp;hosts&nbsp;The Beat Of Sports&nbsp;on ESPN 1080 AM in Orlando every weekday morning from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Daniels has over 20 years of experience on the air and is most well known as "the Voice of the UCF Knights" for all football, men's basketball and baseball games on the UCF ISP Sports Network.
Pick: Virginia Tech
Season Record: 15-7
Jerry Greene&nbsp;spent 33 years as a sportswriter at Florida Today, the Pensacola News Journal and the Orlando Sentinel before retiring in 2009. He now co-hosts The Beat of Sports with Daniels and&nbsp;contributes to ESPN.com's Page 2 section.
Pick: Virginia Tech
Season Record: 7-15
Matt RepchakWed, 30 Nov 2011 09:20:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:151http://www.russellathleticbowl.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=150&PortalID=0&TabID=96Virginia Tech at Virginia is the Champs Sports Bowl Game Of The Weekhttp://www.russellathleticbowl.com/news/tabid/96/ID/150/Virginia-Tech-at-Virginia-is-the-Champs-Sports-Bowl-Game-Of-The-Week.aspx
This season, pick who you think will win the Champs Sports Bowl Game of the Week and WIN! Answer the question on the&nbsp;Capital One Bowl Facebook page&nbsp;before Saturday's game. If you pick correctly, you'll be entered into a drawing to win two tickets to the Capital One Bowl on January 2, 2012!
Virginia Tech leads series, 50-37-5 (Last meeting: Nov. 27, 2010: Virginia Tech 37, Virginia 7)
After 12 weeks, the ACC Coastal division championship has come down to one game. Virginia and Virginia Tech square off this weekend for the right to play for the ACC title and a BCS bowl-berth. The Hokies hold the edge with only one conference loss, but the Cavaliers would own the tiebreaker with a win at home on Saturday. Tech hasn&rsquo;t lost to its rival from Charlottesville in eight years and has only dropped one game to the Cavs since 1998.
With losses by three top-10 teams last weekend, Virginia Tech has risen to No. 5 in the BCS standings. The Hokies only loss this season came almost two months ago to Clemson, who will represent the Atlantic division in the ACC Championship Game Dec. 3. Virginia Tech held off a late rally from North Carolina last Thursday after scoring 24 unanswered points in the second and third quarters. Redshirt sophomore Logan Thomas threw two touchdowns and rushed for another, leading the Hokies to the 24-21 win. Senior Jarrett Boykin was Thomas&rsquo; favorite target on the night, reeling in 10 catches for 106 yards.
Virginia was able to withstand a costly facemask penalty, a crucial booth review and a missed field goal, all in the final seconds, to upset Florida State in Tallahassee 14-13. Despite being held to 78 total rushing yards, the Cavaliers ground attack came through late in the fourth quarter when Kevin Parks scored the go-ahead touchdown from 10 yards out. Quarterback Michael Rocco played well against a Seminoles defense ranked seventh in the nation. The sophomore threw for 221 yards and a touchdown without turning the ball over. Virginia snapped an eight-game losing streak at Doak Campbell Stadium.
Extra Point:
*Virginia Tech is the only team in the country to have won at least 10 games in each of the past eight seasons.&nbsp;
EXPERT PICKS
Michel Champagne&nbsp;currently serves as Chairman of Florida Citrus Sports, where his duties include leading Team Selection Committee. He is the Vice President of Operations and General Manager, Orlando Region for Bright House Networks.
Pick: Virginia Tech
Season Record: 13-7
Greg Warmoth&nbsp;spent 11 years as the weekend sports anchor for WFTV Channel 9 in Orlando before switching to the news desk in 1997. He currently anchors Eyewitness News Daybreak, Eyewitness News This Morning on TV-27 and Eyewitness News at Noon.
Pick: Virginia Tech
Season Record: 12-8
Marc Daniels&nbsp;hosts&nbsp;The Beat Of Sports&nbsp;on ESPN 1080 AM in Orlando every weekday morning from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Daniels has over 20 years of experience on the air and is most well known as "the Voice of the UCF Knights" for all football, men's basketball and baseball games on the UCF ISP Sports Network.
Pick: Virginia Tech
Season Record: 13-7
Jerry Greene&nbsp;spent 33 years as a sportswriter at Florida Today, the Pensacola News Journal and the Orlando Sentinel before retiring in 2009. He now co-hosts The Beat of Sports with Daniels and&nbsp;contributes to ESPN.com's Page 2 section.
Pick: Virginia
Season Record: 7-13
Matt RepchakTue, 22 Nov 2011 17:27:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:150http://www.russellathleticbowl.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=149&PortalID=0&TabID=96Virginia at Florida State is the Champs Sports Bowl Game of the Weekhttp://www.russellathleticbowl.com/news/tabid/96/ID/149/Virginia-at-Florida-State-is-the-Champs-Sports-Bowl-Game-of-the-Week.aspx
This season, pick who you think will win the Champs Sports Bowl Game of the Week and WIN! Answer the question on the&nbsp;Champs Sports Bowl Facebook page&nbsp;before Saturday's game. If you pick correctly, you'll be entered into a drawing to win two tickets to the Champs Sports Bowl on December 29, 2011!
Florida State leads series 13-2-0 (Last meeting: Oct. 10, 2010: Florida State 34, Virginia 14)
Florida State and Virginia both remain in the ACC title hunt as they clash in Tallahassee this weekend. The Seminoles can only hope for a share of the Atlantic division title, having lost the potential tie-breaker to current leader Clemson earlier this season. The Cavaliers, however, still have a shot at winning the Coastal division outright. Both teams enter the game with 7-3 records and two conference losses.
The Cavs are very much alive in the ACC title race and could clinch their division with wins against FSU and in-state rival (and current Coastal leader) Virginia Tech in the regular-season finale. Head coach Mike London&rsquo;s squad has won five of its last six and quietly ascended the standings after beating Duke 31-21 last Saturday. The Cavaliers ended a three-game losing streak to the Blue Devils behind sophomore Michael Rocco, who threw two touchdown passes. Running back Perry Jones, the team&rsquo;s offensive leader, added a score on the ground and cornerback Chase Minnifield returned a pick-six to help Virginia pull away in the second half. After losing 13-straight November contests entering this season, the Cavs are 2-0 so far this month.
Florida State&rsquo;s championship hopes were dashed last weekend when Clemson clinched the Atlantic division slot in the ACC Championship Game. Although the Seminoles could tie the Tigers with a win against Virginia and a Clemson loss, their Sept. 24 loss in Death Valley ensures a runner-up finish. However, FSU has won five straight and entered the BCS standings this week at #25 and most experts are predicting a showdown with Notre Dame in the Champs Sports Bowl. The &lsquo;Noles&rsquo; winning streak may be attributed partially to E.J. Manuel&rsquo;s improved play at quarterback. Manuel ranks third in the league in passing with 239 yards per game after returning from a shoulder injury earlier this year. Return specialist Greg Reid helped FSU down rival Miami last weekend with an 83-yard punt return touchdown. The junior now leads the conference in punt return average.
Extra Point:
*Head coaches Mike London and Jimbo fisher will meet on the field before Saturdays&rsquo; game to help raise awareness for Fanconi anemia, a rare genetic disorder that causes bone marrow failure. Each coach has a child affected by the disease.
* Florida State is 8-0 against Virginia in Tallahassee.
EXPERT PICKS
Michel Champagne&nbsp;currently serves as Chairman of Florida Citrus Sports, where his duties include leading Team Selection Committee. He is the Vice President of Operations and General Manager, Orlando Region for Bright House Networks.
Pick: Florida State
Season Record: 12-6
Greg Warmoth&nbsp;spent 11 years as the weekend sports anchor for WFTV Channel 9 in Orlando before switching to the news desk in 1997. He currently anchors Eyewitness News Daybreak, Eyewitness News This Morning on TV-27 and Eyewitness News at Noon.
Pick: Florida State
Season Record: 11-7
Marc Daniels&nbsp;hosts&nbsp;The Beat Of Sports&nbsp;on ESPN 1080 AM in Orlando every weekday morning from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Daniels has over 20 years of experience on the air and is most well known as "the Voice of the UCF Knights" for all football, men's basketball and baseball games on the UCF ISP Sports Network.
Pick: Florida State
Season Record: 12-6
Jerry Greene&nbsp;spent 33 years as a sportswriter at Florida Today, the Pensacola News Journal and the Orlando Sentinel before retiring in 2009. He now co-hosts The Beat of Sports with Daniels and&nbsp;contributes to ESPN.com's Page 2 section.
Pick: Florida State
Season Record: 7-11
Jimmy ClarityTue, 15 Nov 2011 23:23:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:149http://www.russellathleticbowl.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=148&PortalID=0&TabID=96Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech is the Champs Sports Bowl Game Of The Weekhttp://www.russellathleticbowl.com/news/tabid/96/ID/148/Virginia-Tech-at-Georgia-Tech-is-the-Champs-Sports-Bowl-Game-Of-The-Week.aspx
This season, pick who you think will win the Champs Sports Bowl Game of the Week and WIN! Answer the question on the&nbsp;Capital One Bowl Facebook page&nbsp;before Saturday's game. If you pick correctly, you'll be entered into a drawing to win two tickets to the Capital One Bowl on January 2, 2012!
Virginia Tech leads series 5-3-0 (Last meeting: Nov. 4, 2010: Virginia Tech 28, Georgia Tech 21)
ACC power Virginia Tech clashes with conference rival Georgia Tech Thursday in a matchup of Coastal division leaders. Since the ACC moved to 12 teams in 2005, only the Hokies and Yellow Jackets have represented the Coastal division in the conference title game. Although Virginia still controls its own destiny, the winner of this weekend's &ldquo;Battle of the Techs&rdquo; should have the inside track at yet another appearance in the ACC Championship Game.
Despite struggling against Duke two weeks ago, Virginia Tech set a school and ACC record with its 11th-straight conference road victory in Durham. The teams combined for six turnovers in the Hokies&rsquo; sloppy 14-10 victory. Virginia Tech&rsquo;s lone bright spot was all-conference running back David Wilson, who ran for 148 yards on the day.&nbsp; Wilson leads the ACC in rushing, averaging more than 130 yards per game. Quarterback Logan Thomas&rsquo; inconsistent year was epitomized last week against a Blue Devils&rsquo; defense ranked second-to-last in the conference. The first-year starter threw two interceptions versus one touchdown and completed 17 of 28 passes for 190 yards.
Georgia Tech is also coming off a bye week after overpowering then-undefeated Clemson 31-17 in Atlanta. The win ended a two-game losing streak for the Yellow Jackets. Tevin Washington, who completed only four of nine pass attempts, set a school record for a quarterback by rushing for 176 yards. The Ramblin&rsquo; Wreck outrushed the No. 5 Tigers 382 to 95 and never trailed again after scoring on a 1-yard run late in the first quarter. Georgia Tech scored all four of its touchdowns on the ground, holding the ball for almost twice as long as Clemson. The Yellow Jackets&rsquo; defense forced four Tiger turnovers and allowed only one offensive touchdown.
Extra point:
* The winner of the head-to-head matchup each season has gone on to play for the ACC title.
*Georgia Tech was 2-29-1 at home against top-10 ranked teams from 1967 to 2008, head coach Paul Johnson&rsquo;s first season. The Yellow Jackets are 2-0 at home against top-10 teams since, beating No. 4 Virginia Tech in 2009 and No. 5 Clemson Oct. 29.
EXPERT PICKS
Michel Champagne&nbsp;currently serves as Chairman of Florida Citrus Sports, where his duties include leading Team Selection Committee. He is the Vice President of Operations and General Manager, Orlando Region for Bright House Networks.
Pick: Virginia Tech
Season Record: 11-5
Greg Warmoth&nbsp;spent 11 years as the weekend sports anchor for WFTV Channel 9 in Orlando before switching to the news desk in 1997. He currently anchors Eyewitness News Daybreak, Eyewitness News This Morning on TV-27 and Eyewitness News at Noon.
Pick: Virginia Tech
Season Record: 9-7
Marc Daniels&nbsp;hosts&nbsp;The Beat Of Sports&nbsp;on ESPN 1080 AM in Orlando every weekday morning from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Daniels has over 20 years of experience on the air and is most well known as "the Voice of the UCF Knights" for all football, men's basketball and baseball games on the UCF ISP Sports Network.
Pick: Virginia Tech
Season Record: 10-6
Jerry Greene&nbsp;spent 33 years as a sportswriter at Florida Today, the Pensacola News Journal and the Orlando Sentinel before retiring in 2009. He now co-hosts The Beat of Sports with Daniels and&nbsp;contributes to ESPN.com's Page 2 section.
Pick: Georgia Tech
Season Record: 7-9
Jimmy ClarityMon, 07 Nov 2011 18:48:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:148http://www.russellathleticbowl.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=147&PortalID=0&TabID=96Open Audition Commences for Bowl Games Public Address Announcerhttp://www.russellathleticbowl.com/news/tabid/96/ID/147/Open-Audition-Commences-for-Bowl-Games-Public-Address-Announcer.aspx
For 30 years, Florida Citrus Sports and its bowl games have been blessed with the golden pipes of Bob Matheison handling the public address announcing duties. After three decades, Matheison has announced that he is retiring from the booth and turning over the reins to someone else.&nbsp;
In the spirit of competition, FCSports has decided to open up to the public the audition to fill Matheison&rsquo;s shoes.
&ldquo;Bob has not only served as the voice of Orlando&rsquo;s bowl games, but as a Past President of Florida Citrus Sports and a community leader for the past 30 years,&rdquo; said FCSports CEO Steve Hogan.&nbsp;&ldquo;He&rsquo;s been an important part of what makes hosting college football bowl games a special experience for all involved.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Those interested in being considered for the job must:
Be a Florida resident age 18 or older
Record a video of themselves reading a script provided by FCSports (it can be found, along with more details, at www.FCSports.com/TheVoice.aspx).
The video should last no longer than 2 minutes
The video should be uploaded to YouTube
Once uploaded, submit your entry (the YouTube link along with your name, phone number and e-mail address) by going to the bottom of the page of www.FCSports.com/TheVoice.aspx
Three finalists will be selected by a judging panel that includes FCSports officials and local celebrities. The finalists will then be asked to audition live at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium on Friday, Dec. 2, in front of the panel. The next bowl P.A. announcer will be selected based on the live performances.
For more details on the audition, go to www.FCSports.com/TheVoice.aspxMatt RepchakWed, 02 Nov 2011 17:50:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:147http://www.russellathleticbowl.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=127&PortalID=0&TabID=96Notre Dame at Wake Forest is the Champs Sports Bowl Game Of The Weekhttp://www.russellathleticbowl.com/news/tabid/96/ID/127/Notre-Dame-at-Wake-Forest-is-the-Champs-Sports-Bowl-Game-Of-The-Week.aspx
This season, pick who you think will win the Champs Sports Bowl Game of the Week and WIN! Answer the question on the&nbsp;Capital One Bowl Facebook page&nbsp;before Saturday's game. If you pick correctly, you'll be entered into a drawing to win two tickets to the Capital One Bowl on January 2, 2012!
First-time meeting.
Notre Dame looks to finish strong in the final stretch of the season as the team travels to Winston-Salem to face Wake Forest this Saturday. Despite being all but eliminated from BCS contention, the Irish are a favorite to compete in the Champs Sports Bowl, according to expert projections. Wake Forest also has a shot at the Champs Sports Bowl as the ACC race remains wide open behind current one-loss division leaders Clemson and Virginia Tech.
Jonas Gray and the Notre Dame rushing attack lit up the scoreboard in last Saturday&rsquo;s 56-14 thrashing of Navy in South Bend. &nbsp;Gray recorded three of the Irish&rsquo;s seven rushing touchdowns, the team&rsquo;s best scoring output on the ground in 19 years. All-American receiver Michael Floyd also got in on the action, scoring on a 10-yard lateral late in the third quarter. Floyd&rsquo;s day was even better through the air. The junior reeled in six catches for 121 yards and a touchdown. In all, four Golden Domers posted rushing scores, while the defense held the nation&rsquo;s fifth best ground attack to more than 100 yards below its season average of 309.
Five uncharacteristic turnovers doomed Wake Forest against North Carolina last weekend, as the Tar Heels never trailed en route to a 49-24 win in Chapel Hill. The Demon Deacons had committed only five turnovers all season coming into the game. Quarterback Tanner Price doubled his interception total on the year by throwing three picks against the Tar Heel defense and was subsequently pulled in the second half. Chris Givens, who was fourth in the nation with 127 receiving yards per game, managed only 42 yards on the day. Wake still controls its own ACC destiny, however, as the Deacs face off with conference leader Clemson in Death Valley a week after their showdown with the Irish.
Extra point:
*Notre Dame and Navy will take their rivalry overseas next year when two of college football&rsquo;s oldest programs compete in the Emerald Isle Classic in Dublin. The Coca-Cola Classic (formerly the Mirage Bowl) was one NCAA football&rsquo;s most prominent international series, played annually in Japan from 1977 to 1993.
Expert Picks
Michel Champagne&nbsp;currently serves as Chairman of Florida Citrus Sports, where his duties include leading Team Selection Committee. He is the Vice President of Operations and General Manager, Orlando Region for Bright House Networks.
Pick: Notre Dame
Season Record: 9-5
Greg Warmoth&nbsp;spent 11 years as the weekend sports anchor for WFTV Channel 9 in Orlando before switching to the news desk in 1997. He currently anchors Eyewitness News Daybreak, Eyewitness News This Morning on TV-27 and Eyewitness News at Noon.
Pick: Notre Dame
Season Record: 7-7
Marc Daniels&nbsp;hosts&nbsp;The Beat Of Sports&nbsp;on ESPN 1080 AM in Orlando every weekday morning from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Daniels has over 20 years of experience on the air and is most well known as "the Voice of the UCF Knights" for all football, men's basketball and baseball games on the UCF ISP Sports Network.
Pick: Notre Dame
Season Record: 8-6
Jerry Greene&nbsp;spent 33 years as a sportswriter at Florida Today, the Pensacola News Journal and the Orlando Sentinel before retiring in 2009. He now co-hosts The Beat of Sports with Daniels and&nbsp;contributes to ESPN.com's Page 2 section.
Pick: Notre Dame
Season Record: 6-8
Jimmy ClarityTue, 01 Nov 2011 18:17:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:127